Month: November 2017

I wouldn’t recommend anger at work, but sometimes engineers do get angry at a process, problem, or piece of equipment. On the other side, in technical consultative sales, we try not to get angry at our clients, at least not directly. After all, in the business world, anger is often viewed as an unsavory emotion. The individual has lost self-control — a cardinal sin in business, right?

Yet Patel also suggested anger can have a major upside if used as fuel to build a business.

“Anger is actually useful when harnessed and controlled because it fosters useful behavioral capabilities,” according to an Inc. reporter’s summary of Emotional Intelligence experts Henry Evans and Colm Foster. Anger creates focus and generates confidence, they suggest. In fact, the highest performing people and teams tap into and express the entire spectrum of emotions.

The important thing about anger in business is to harness the emotion in a smart, controlled way. Avoid getting mad at people (focus on an action or event instead) and try not to say things you will later regret.

Ultimately, anger is one of many authentic emotions. Ignoring it, or trying to hide it, can have many negative impacts both on your professional life and personal well-being. As Inc.’s Jeff Haden pointed out, “Anger is authentic — and so are great leaders.”

Be a great leader by learning to channel your emotions — negative and positive both — in a productive way that helps your focus and drives your business success.